The Morning Call - January 31, 2002
Bosstones make ska-punk fans pay attention Len Righi 'January 31, 2002 'Link Joe Gittleman knows all about the rigors of touring, having been a musician for more than half of his 33 years. But the bassist for ska-punk pioneers the Mighty Mighty Bosstones has a hard time empathizing with performers who grumble about life on the endless gray ribbon. In fact, during a telephone conversation from his home in Boston, Gittleman reserves his most pointed remarks for those who don't relish road work. "Bands are quick to see themselves as some sort of victim," he says. "Those that do, I think it's been far too long since they had a shovel or a spatula in their hand." Gittleman, you see, still thinks of himself as "fortunate" to be making a living playing music, corny as that may seem. But he sounds genuinely sincere when he proclaims, "The Bosstones are a live band. We're not about radio singles, or what record labels are interested in promoting," adding, "we considered ourselves a success long before anyone knew who we were." The Bosstones, who will headline an all-ages show with the Riddlin' Kids tonight at Allentown's Crocodile Rock Café, first found a national audience 12 years ago. Since then, the group has released seven full-length albums. There are at least 19 Web sites devoted to their exploits. But it is the crackling energy of their live shows that has set the Bosstones apart from their peers. Gittleman, a self-taught musician, has played with members of the Bosstones since high school. He also worked as a roadie for the Del Fuegos and Treat Her Right, the precursor to Morphine. After graduating in 1986, he played with punk band Gang Green for three years. "I left unexpectedly -- I was kicked out," he says/ The Bosstones reconvened in earnest in 1989, and the buzz about the band's blend of punk's energy, ska's herky-jerky dance beats and horns and the socially aware lyrics of both began in earnest with the 1990 release of "Devil's Night Out" (Taang). It reached a crescendo with 1997's "Let's Face It" (Mercury), which included the anthem "Impression That I Get." And while neither the 1999 concert recording "Live From The Middle East" nor the 2000 studio set "Pay Attention" made the same kind of impact, the Bosstones still have no problem packing large clubs and small concert halls. "We tour regardless," says Gittleman. "We've been to Europe the release of "Pay Attention" and are on our way to Australia. Right now we're doing weekends around New England. Last weekend we played Providence, R.I. and in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., we did two shows." In the midst of all this activity, the Bosstones are recording their as-yet untitled eighth disc, which will likely be released in July. "When you're in the Bosstones and doing 200 shows a year, two years goes by pretty quickly," observes Gittleman. The bassist, who writes a lot of the band's material, says he is "always working on songs. When you're on the road, there's a lot of down time. I often carry a pocket tape recorder and work on tunes." The Bosstones will be previewing a few new ones at Croc Rock, Gittleman adds. The possibilities include: "Everybody's Better," which has the chorus: "To be king you don't need a castle"; "You Gotta Go," about a house guest that stayed far too long," and "Old School Off The Bright." "Off the bright is an old expression that means 'not drinking' or 'on the wagon,'" says Gittleman. "The song is about our shows and the people who come to our shows. It's a call-to-arms kind of tune, I guess." So how does the new material compare to what came before? "If anything, it's more a return to the early energy," says Gittleman. "But the record's not done, and I always have a tendency to think it's going to be one thing and it comes out something else. In addition to his writing and performing duties with the Bosstones, Gittleman has produced records for The Amazing Royal Crowns and The Smooths. Two years ago he took on the responsibilities of marriage, and soon he will be shouldering the job of band leader. In April, his side project, Avoid One Thing, will release its self-titled disc on Side One Dummy Records. "I write all the music and sing all the songs," explains Gittleman. "It's more rock, or punk-ish, than the Bosstones. It's been described as a cross between Jawbreaker and Social Distortion. "I started doing it for fun with friends with Boston, but we're going on tour next month, opening for H2O. It will be good to be back in a 'get the band in the van, hit the road and be unknown' situation."